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Internet Call Services Might Cost More Really Soon

If you are using your online connection to make calls, then you should expect your phone bill to rise in the near future. Many people have turned to internet-based call services because they are very cheap, but that might change very soon. The U.S Federal Communications Commission approved on Wednesday an interim new plan for funding phone service subsidies.

Phone companies that supply online call services, such as Vonage Holdings, will have to pay the Universal Service Fund a part of their earnings. The government wants to subsidy phone services to rural and low-income areas as well as communications services and internet connections for schools, hospitals, and libraries. Revenue that originates from online call services will be used to make that program a reality.

"It`s likely to be around net zero or a slight increase for our customers," Vonage representative Brooke Schulz said. The new decision comes after a 3 percent excise tax reduction was made and hopefully there will be no real impact on customers` bills. If companies can show that their revenues are not enough fro contribution, then a different percentage will be demanded from them.